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sdfree0172 t1_iynxc39 wrote

Well, it probably isn’t a real good idea to DIY, but if I were to give it a go, I’d rent a mini-backhoe (lots of companies in the US rent these, not sure where you’re from). I’d dig down and around the footing, then I’d use the backhoe to push the column into position to hold it there while filling the hole with additional concrete. Probably $700 or so and two days effort. But, again, not sure I’d try this. Lots to go wrong.

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firstorbit t1_iyo7cyn wrote

Take the gate off before you do this.

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ccooffee t1_iyokaq5 wrote

Or leave it on and make sure someone records the whole thing to post here later.

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XchrisZ t1_iyp0kor wrote

Well the thing is leaning away from the gate. That gate would actually assist in this situation.

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Tack122 t1_iyoaxk4 wrote

I had this done on a 20 ft freestanding brick wall.

They had 4 dudes dig three holes along the length of the side it was leaning toward, they dug beneath it a bit and started lifting it with bottle jacks. Once they got it where it needed to be they supported it with concrete cylinders, and excavated a large cavity to fill with concrete. They charged me 4k and were done in a day, so great deal for them, but I wasn't about to DIY that.

So the issue I think I see with your plan to push with a back hoe is you can't really apply force to the top of the column because the brick work will not work in tension, so you'd be in the state of having to lift it from beneath with the back hoe.

It could work but I feel like jacks would be more appropriate. Less error prone, you could easily fuck things up with a mistake on the back hoe.

Having seen it done on a 20 ft wall, I'd feel sorta comfortable doing it on a column. Seems less risky.

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poopgrouper t1_iyoc58p wrote

I bet if you braced the column with a bunch of 4x4's, you could push on it with the excavator to straighten it up. The 4x4's would help spread the the load over the height of the column.

Then again, you might just collapse the whole thing, since I'd bet that things hollow. But then OP could do a follow up question about DIY brick laying.

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Gtp4life t1_iyorts8 wrote

Honestly yeah, breaking it and starting over to begin with would probably be easier since it’s the likely outcome either way trying to DIY this as a beginner.

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IronRT t1_iyp045w wrote

I’d do this if i were to give it a go.

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Ocronus t1_iyoi5cw wrote

Pifff, that's to much work.. Just be my neighbor. Put the bumper of your 4x4 up to it and give a little gas. Nothing will go wrong! /s

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barto5 t1_iyoht7n wrote

Keep in mind that even IF this works, you’ve just added more weight to something that is already settling.

It would be a temporary fix.

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Tack122 t1_iyokt1v wrote

It could be settling, or it could be rolling over a firmer settled area. Digging a concrete bell bottom shape beneath it and filling it with concrete is a common way to increase the surface area of soil that the object is bearing on.

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barto5 t1_iyolhsd wrote

It is. But bell bottom piers are not suitable for all applications and the amount of excavation required for a bell bottom pier might very well undermine the column you’re trying to stabilize.

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Tack122 t1_iyomc2c wrote

Yeah I could see that. Dude might need a retaining wall. Hard to say without understanding the soil around there.

I'm most familiar and by default think about the soil around home, thick Houston black gumbo. Clayey and dense, sticks to everything and holds stuff pretty well in general. Ideal type A example imo.

Type B or C yeah I could see that being iffy. I'd try drilling in post holes and filling them and connecting it to the footing or something I guess.

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ScratchNSniffGIF t1_iyoktsc wrote

Nothing lasts forever. Every fix is 'temporary'

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barto5 t1_iyolquh wrote

Well, temporary is relative. A good foundation repair company will make this repair and back it with a lifetime warranty.

So in the sense that life is temporary you’re right.

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Noonien OP t1_iyoysil wrote

I'm debating between this, and digging down and trying to bottle jack up the base. Either way I think I'll have to add more/deeper concrete to the footing to prevent it from continuing to lean.

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TheUnweeber t1_iyqt79q wrote

Dig and bottle jack, then push it a tad too far the other way (but still within the realm of what works for your gate). Then brace low with 4x4s, remove bottle jack and make sure it has stopped settling before you pour the concrete. Maybe throw some rebar in there, it's cheap.

Mortar and concrete are fine for compression, but the makers may only have put rebar in the far side of that (if any). That means pushing on it might cause it to separate. That's why you should dig and bottle jack.

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Onewarmguy t1_iyowolc wrote

That's an understatement. Either the brick or the footing is being eccentrically loaded by the gate. The whole things gotta come out.

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Prostock26 t1_iyox5rt wrote

Why wouldn't it be leaning the other way then? Looks to me it's leaning away from the gate

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SpiderMcLurk t1_iyp2pua wrote

There’s probably no starter bars holding the column down to the footing and you’ll just push the bottom row of bricks off its foundation. Or it will seperate at a row of bricks.

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